Planning Enforcement Officers

- Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
- Address: Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2BX
- Salary: £32,578 - £37,563 per annum (pro rata for part time)
- Hours: Full Time, 37 hours per week
- Contract: 1x Permanent and 1x Fixed Term or Secondment opportunity for 2 years

Both roles are open to full time, part time, and job share applications, all of which will be assessed equally.

Join our team

We are looking for Planning Enforcement Officers to join our Planning Enforcement team.

If you share our values and you are motivated to make a difference for our residents, clients, and communities, we would love to hear from you.

About the roles

Kick-start or advance your career in Planning Enforcement with a role that offers excellent training, professional development and genuine opportunities to progress.

As part of our team, you will manage a varied and rewarding caseload, investigating planning concerns, carrying out site inspections and assessing developments to identify potential breaches of planning legislation.

You will work closely with residents, businesses and developers, providing clear advice and guidance on the most appropriate course of action to resolve a breach, and when necessary, draft enforcement notices, gather evidence and support legal proceedings.

These are proactive and people-focused roles where you will be encouraged to seek practical, proportionate solutions at the earliest opportunity, including involvement in the pre-application service and through mediation with communities to resolve issues outside direct legislative control where necessary.

These are career grade positions , offering structured training, mentoring and ongoing professional development. Whether you are looking to build your expertise in planning enforcement or take the next step in your career, you will benefit from clear progression opportunities and the support needed to reach your full potential.

About you

You will hold a relevant degree or a Certificate in Planning Enforcement or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience and transferable skills. You will have a sound understanding of planning legislation and enforcement practice, with a desire to further develop your technical expertise through ongoing training and professional development.

Experience or knowledge of legislation relating to the protection and conservation of listed buildings would be an advantage, although support and development will be available for the right candidate.

You will be a confident communicator with strong investigative, negotiation and report-writing skills, able to engage positively with residents, businesses, developers and other stakeholders. We are looking for someone who can take ownership of their work, exercise sound judgement and work effectively both independently and as part of a supportive team.

Excellent customer service skills are essential, along with the ability to approach challenging situations professionally, pragmatically and with a solutions-focused mindset.

These roles offer the opportunity to manage a diverse caseload across a varied and attractive rural district, requiring regular site visits. You will need to hold a full current driving licence and have access to a vehicle.

About us

At Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils we are passionate about building communities that people want to live, work, visit and invest in.

We serve around 200,000 residents across our two districts and are well known for our collaboration and partnership working across public, private and voluntary sectors.

We believe that the heart of Suffolk is an incredibly special place to live and work, with:

- 60 conservation areas
- two National Landscapes
- many picturesque market towns

It is no surprise we are ranked among the top 50 places to live in the UK (United Kingdom).

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

- Generous leave entitlement (26 days a year, rising to 31 days after 5 years).
- Competitive Local Government Pension Scheme.
- Wellbeing Support and Employee Assistance Programs.
- Private Health Care Options.
- Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme.
- Paid volunteering days.
- Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (Business needs permitting).
- Great learning and development opportunities.

For more information, visit our Employee Benefits page .

Our ways of working

We believe work is what we do, not just where we go.

We work in a hybrid way, with a mix of office, home, and remote based working (Business need permitting). Our hybrid working arrangements support flexibility and collaboration, helping our teams to thrive.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, providing opportunity and ambition for all, supporting and enabling our people to deliver the best possible services for our residents.

For more information

For an informal discussion about these roles, please contact Simon Bailey by either calling 07738 848209 or emailing [email protected]

Please read the Job Description (pdf) and Person Specification - entry level (pdf) before applying for these job opportunities.

Closing date: 5.00pm, 25 November 2026.

How to apply

Please ensure your:

- application form is fully completed, including employment and education history
- supporting statement clearly addresses how you meet the criteria in the Person Specification

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.